This invention relates generally to latch assemblies and, more particularly, to latch assemblies which are configured for locking a first wall member and a second wall member to one another to prevent relative movement between the first and second wall members.
The prior art is filled with myriad latch assemblies and locking assemblies, all of which serve the basic function of locking a first wall member and a second wall member to one another to prevent relative movement between the first and second wall members. Such assemblies are commonly used in storage containers, drawers, fences and doors of all kinds.
One such prior art latch assembly, which is employed in a collapsible storage bin, includes a base plate formed of a polymeric material, a locking piece formed of a polymeric material, and a pair of metal coil springs. The bin includes a bin bottom and four side walls extending upwardly from the bin bottom to form a bin interior. One of the side walls is pivotally moveable relative to the rest of the bin between open and closed positions. The base plate is fixed to the moveable side wall. The locking piece is slidably connected to the base plate for movement between locked and unlocked positions relative to the base plate. The locking piece and the base plate together define a pair of spring chambers when connected to one another. The two metal coil springs are positioned within the chambers to urge the locking member toward the locked position.
A problem with this prior art latch assembly is that the metal coil springs may tend to oxidize or corrode over time. Another problem is that the assembly is comprised of four separate components which are of at least two different materials, and which are most likely not all available from a single manufacturing source. Still another problem is that the assembly is somewhat difficult to assemble and disassemble.